Augusta University awarded $1.3 million grant to expand student support  

Augusta University received an award of $1.3 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education through a Federal TRIO Student Support Services grant. The grant proposal received bipartisan support from Georgia’s federal delegation and will be distributed over the next five years. This award represents a major milestone in AU’s commitment to student success, providing targeted academic and support services to low-income, first-generation and disabled college students.

“The TRIO Student Support Services grant is more than funding; it is an investment in potential that will empower our students to persist and succeed,” said AU President Russell T. Keen. “I am thankful to Georgia’s congressional leaders, including Senators Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock and Congressman Rick Allen for their advocacy and support of this proposal, Augusta University and our students. This investment strengthens our commitment to student success and helps Augusta University continue to rise as a beacon of opportunity for our region, our state and beyond.”

Garrett Green, EdD, associate vice president for Access, Success, and Belonging, identified this opportunity and helped craft the successful proposal.

“Low-income, first-generation and disabled students often face barriers such as limited access to academic resources, unfamiliarity with college systems, financial pressures and lack of guidance in navigating the college experience,” Green said. “This grant will provide comprehensive support to help students persist, graduate and reach their full potential. Thank you to Georgia’s elected officials for their support.”

“I am thrilled that Augusta University was successful in winning this federal Student Support Services grant,” Ossoff said. “This federal grant will help establish AU’s first TRIO student support services on campus with a goal of increasing college retention and graduation rates for students.”

Echoing that sentiment, Allen, whose congressional district includes AU, was pleased to offer his support.

“Augusta University has consistently paved the way for thousands of students to become the next generation of leaders in our country,” said Allen. “Receipt of the TRIO Student Support Services grant will enable AU to expand on this mission by increasing access to post-secondary education with an emphasis on affordability and completion. It was an honor to offer my support for this grant application, and I look forward to hearing about the many success stories that will inevitably follow. I congratulate President Russell Keen and the entire AU community for this well-deserved achievement.”

Additionally, Warnock, the only TRIO graduate in the U.S. Senate, shared how the program personally shaped his college journey and continues to influence students nationwide.

“TRIO put me on a college campus for the first time and helped me envision a different future for myself,” said Warnock. “I’m one of the millions of kids who benefited from TRIO programs, having played a vital role in helping to shape the next generation and supporting students’ academic journeys from start to finish for decades. I am elated about Augusta University’s announcement of its first-ever TRIO program on campus. I will continue to be a fervent advocate for all Georgia students to have access to the resources necessary to develop the leaders of tomorrow.”

The TRIO SSS grant will strengthen current first-generation student support — such as the Augusta Promise Scholarship, Alpha Alpha Alpha honor society and university membership in the FirstGen Forward Network — by providing opportunities for intensive academic advising, enhanced tutoring and personal development opportunities.

“Many departments have been working toward these similarly aligned goals, and the TRIO program will amplify our work by providing more dedicated staffing and resources, ensuring we reach our ultimate goal of graduating students who are prepared to take on life-saving and life-changing careers in our state and region,” said Shareen Clement, EdD, director of Mentorship and Student Engagement.  

In the fall of 2024, Augusta University welcomed a freshman class where 21% of students identified as first-generation, with a total of 19% across the entire undergraduate population. With this growing student population, Clement said first-generation students are statistically less likely to graduate compared to peers who are not first-generation.   

While this statistic is often at the forefront of first-generation conversations, Clement said this student group is also less likely to participate in faculty mentorship, research, study abroad programs, internships and workshops. The grant will address these issues by preemptively identifying these students and bringing resources directly to them.

In addition to Augusta University receiving its first TRIO SSS grant, the Office of Mentorship and Student Engagement, with help from the Office of Government Relations, secured a proclamation from Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp to recognize First-Generation College Celebration Day on Nov. 8, 2025.

According to Clement, this is just another step in recognizing and acknowledging the unique experiences of first-generation college students.

“Having a specific day allows us to amplify these messages to the entire community and ensure that these students feel seen as a vital part of our community,” she said. “It ensures that these students understand that their first-generation identity deserves to be celebrated and not hidden.”